Affidavit: Austin ISD bus monitor accused of inappropriately touching student
AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin Independent School District bus monitor faces a felony charge after he was accused of touching a student inappropriately on three separate occasions on a bus in November 2022, according to court records.
An affidavit states Carlos Vasquez, 74, was charged with improper relationship between an educator and a student — a second-degree felony.
Austin ISD said Vazquez was fired Friday, the same day of his arrest, and had been on leave since Nov. 11 "when the allegation was first reported." He had worked with the district as a bus monitor since 2006. KXAN is working to find attorney information for Vasquez. We will update this story if we receive a response.
The student reported they were touched inappropriately by Vasquez three separate times. The incidents happened on a bus "for students with intellectual disabilities and special needs," the affidavit said.
According to the affidavit, video footage from the bus shows Vasquez sitting one row ahead and across from the student with his feet in the aisle. The video shows Vasquez handing something to the student and his hand appears to touch the student, the affidavit described.
Vasquez and the student had similar interactions on other days, the video footage showed.
When interviewed by an officer, Vasquez initially denied the claims but "subsequently admitted to making sexual contact with the student," the affidavit states.
Vasquez apologized and said "he would never do it again," the affidavit said.
Records show Vasquez was arrested Friday and released on bond. That day, AISD sent a letter to families whose child was a part of the bus route last semester.
"Your child’s safety is our greatest concern. We are doing everything we can to understand how this incident occurred to prevent situations like this in the future," AISD wrote.